Previously, I have banged on about my relationship with black metal being a slightly strange one, and rarely do I nab a black metal release from the promo sump. And though my interest in modern black metal is hit or miss, the timing seems ripe for the picking. Following some personal hardship and soul searching my listening habits have gravitated heavily towards the blackened arts, specifically binge listening of legendary acts such as Darkthrone, Emperor, Dimmu Borgir, and Bathory. Embracing the past has led to this present-day slab of blackened extremity from the contrastingly sunny shores of Brisbane, Australia. Unheralded act Graveir return with their third LP, The Festering Triad, hellbent on transporting the listener through a bleak, ugly vortex of demented groove, bleak atmosphere, and unsettling stabs of dissonance. However, let us explore whether Graveir possess the songwriting chops to match their grimly effective ingredients.
Armed with a foreboding presence and feral streak, Graveir pull no punches, nor are they interested in adorning their abrasive and dread-soaked sound with any bells or whistles. The Festering Triad goes for the throat and refuses to relent across an appropriately lean and efficient thirty-seven-minute blast. Anguished croaks and ominous, measured tempos open proceedings on the ominously moody trudge of “Lords of Misrule.” While not catchy in a traditional sense, the arrangement has enough subtle and intriguing components to maintain interest, as the atmosphere effectively oozes bleak, depressive vibes.
Featuring a rugged backbone of pummeling percussion and dense, stormy riffage, the depressive stomp of “A Futile Exhortation” eventually turns its menacing plod into crackling bursts of speed, a climactic variation that pays off. Bolstered by its disso edge, crunching intensity, and grimly oppressive atmosphere, The Festering Triad simmers with tension, occasionally broken up with groovier, riffy beatdowns, such as the horns-up riffage on the title track. Later in proceedings, “By the Will of the Goat” injects a raw and nasty second wave bluster, adding welcome variety, hammering intensity, and punky edge. Despite the album’s relative brevity, the songwriting occasionally struggles to distinguish from song to song, and a sense of familiarity and monotony seeps through Graveir’s ragged exterior. Genuinely infectious and gripping moments are sparsely strewn across the album. And too often, the upfront drums overpower everything else, and the riffs don’t provide the noteworthy punch frequently enough.
Band performances are generally on point, though the production and mixing choices detract from the experience. The drums are busy and occasionally explosive when breaking free from the more stock and repetitive blasting; however, the mixing forcefully jams them distractingly up front, also blunting the edge of the guitars. Meanwhile, the overly loud, brick-walled mastering does the album no favors. It’s a damn shame these production and songwriting elements unseat some of The Festering Triad’s more appealing and aggressive attributes, resulting in an unsettling though mixed final product. Even the album’s efficient length feels overly long by the conclusion due to an unfortunate combination of ear fatigue and songwriting that bleeds through and fails to leave a lasting impression.
Overall, Graveir’s third LP is an effectively intense, gritty black metal platter, which fires more successfully when the tempos shift, and Graveir break the shackles and insert greater structural variation into their volatile attack. This shit no doubt would rip live, and mileage is likely to vary. Unfortunately, the songwriting cannot quite match Graveir’s seething delivery to keep the listener consistently engaged to warrant a wholehearted endorsement. While failing to land the knockout blow, Graveir possess the fundamental skills to unleash a more substantial, higher quality album, so I’m intrigued how they develop next time round.
Rating: 2.5/5.0
DR: 5 | Format Reviewed: 320 kbps mp3
Label: Apocalyptic Witchcraft
Websites: Bandcamp | Facebook
Releases Worldwide: May 29th, 2026
The post Graveir – The Festering Triad Review appeared first on Angry Metal Guy.
